1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a supporting apparatus for a refrigerator, and particularly, to a supporting apparatus for a refrigerator capable of conveniently adjusting a height of the refrigerator and of reducing vibration transferred from the refrigerator to an installation surface or from the installation surface to the refrigerator.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a lower portion of a refrigerator according to the conventional art.
The conventional refrigerator is comprised of: a main body 102 having a freezing chamber storing various frozen foods therein and a refrigerating chamber storing chilled foods therein; a door 104 mounted on a front side of the main body 102 to be opened/closed; and a machine room 108 positioned at a lower surface of a rear side of the main body 102, for installing various kinds of components such as a compressor 106 for compressing a refrigerant forming a refrigeration cycle therein.
A base plate 110 is mounted on a lower surface of the main body 102, and the compressor 106 for compressing the refrigerant is mounted in the machine room 108 to be shock-absorbable by a vibration-proof rubber 112 placed at the base plate 110. Also, a water tray 114 is installed for storing water generated by such a defrosting operation at an upper surface of the machine room 108.
A supporting apparatus 120 is mounted for enabling a refrigerator height to be adjusted on both edges of a front side of a lower surface of the main body 102. Also, a supporting roller 130 is mounted for facilitating movement of the refrigerator at both edges of a rear side of the lower surface of the main body 102.
As can be seen from FIG. 2, the supporting apparatus is comprised of: a mounting bracket 122 fixed to both edges of the front side of the lower surface of the main body 102; a supporting leg 124 spirally coupled to the mounting bracket 122 and moved in an up and down direction in its rotation; and a foot 126 mounted on a lower end of the supporting leg 124 and being in contact with an installation surface 140.
In case of installing this refrigerator at the installation surface 140, the front side of the refrigerator is lifted up and the main body 102 is moved to a place to be installed by using the supporting roller 130. Then, after moving the maim body 102 to the installation surface 140, the supporting leg 124 of the supporting apparatus 120 is rotated to adjust height and horizon of the refrigerator.
However, in accordance with the conventional refrigerator aforementioned, when vibration is generated from the installation surface 140, the vibration at the installation surface 140 is transferred to the main body 102 through the supporting apparatus 120 and the supporting roller 130, or the vibration generated from the main body 102 is transferred to the installation surface 140 through the supporting apparatus 120 and the supporting roller 130.
In particular, for a wine refrigerator which is sensitive to vibration, if an external vibration is transferred to a main body of the refrigerator, there can occur a problem with wine ripening.
Moreover, the supporting apparatus in the conventional refrigerator should rotate the supporting leg 124 to adjust the height. In this case, it is difficult to rotate the supporting leg 124 due to friction between the foot 126 and the installation surface 140, and in case of rotating the supporting leg 124 by force, the installation surface 140 can be damaged.